Welcome to Africa

Since 1986 former American president Jimmy Carter has worked to eradicate Dracunculiasis – the extremely painful and debilitating Guinea worm disease – from the African continent. Three decades later, the dread disease has almost been eliminated.

There are hundreds of dying languages across Africa. In South Africa, there are seven listed as endangered by the Endangered Languages Project. Lost Tongue follows Helena Steenkamp as she learns the ancient language of her ancestors, and in so doing, regains her identity.

African girls are better educated than a generation ago. Women are taking more leadership roles and building successful business careers. However, a new United Nations report says gender inequality on the continent costs it $95-billion a year.

Women have left their mark in various fields across the continent of Africa. From medicine to fashion design and politics, they have tackled huge challenges and have emerged victorious. Their stories serve to inspire future generations.

Madagascar’s dense rainforests hide plant and animal life unlike anything else on earth. Almost all of its reptiles, and roughly 90% of its mammals and plants, are unique to the African island nation. Our gallery showcases this rich and often bizarre wildlife.

Scientists are racing to preserve Madagascar's trove of unique flora and fauna as deforestation threatens the African island's diverse plant and animal wealth. And these riches keep growing as researches discover more and more endemic species in its rainforests.

Forty one million people in the SADC region of Africa are in need of humanitarian food aid. The worst drought in 35 years is a result of a changing climate and Africa will need to adapt to this new normal.